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GORDON DUFF: GOP CAMPAIGNS FINANCED BY MONEY STOLEN FROM VETERAN CHARITY
PHONY CHARITY, “NAVY VETERANS ASSOCIATION” INVESTIGATED FOR FUNDING GOP
By Gordon Duff STAFF WRITER/Senior Editor
Toledo – Ohio Attorney General Richard Corday held a press conference in Columbus Thursday to slam a charity defrauding veterans and Ohio residents. During the press conference attacking the US Navy Veterans Association, Cordray used terms “fraudulent” and “phony outfit” to describe the charity which has been exposed in state after state. Cordray further stated that the alleged “charity” was “an elaborate, fraudulent organization trading outrageously on the names of our veterans.”
In 2004, money stolen from the state’s Workman’s Comp fund was laundered by Toledo native, Tom Noe, Republican Chairman, and paid into the campaign coffers of, not only Ohio Candidates but national campaigns as well. Noe was one of George “W” Bush’s largest fundraisers. The US Navy Veterans Association had collected tens of thousands of dollars from Ohio residents, money still pouring into their box although law enforcement officials are unable to find any of their officers.
Money bilked from donors, money intended to help veterans, was laundered by the organization, according to Cordray and funneled into the campaign coffers of Ohio Republicans:
George Voinovich – United States Senator from Ohio
Steve Chabot – 14 year member of Congress from Cincinnati, OH
Mike DeWine – Candidate for Attorney General, running against Cordray
Jeanne Schmidt – Famous for beating Iraq War veteran Paul Hackett by a narrow margin to win her current seat in Congress
Attorney General Cordray has filed suit against the charity, located at a UPS drop box in Ohio, but operating in 41 states and claiming 66,000 members. A “cease and desist” order was issued to the charity weeks ago but operations continued, according to government sources. A search of internet registry information has yielded the following information:
Admin ID:C107357228196247
Admin Name:Office of Administration US Navy Veterans Assn
Admin Organization:Office of Administration US Navy Veterans Assn
Admin Street1:1718 M St. NW #275
Admin City:Washington
Admin State/Province:DC
Admin Postal Code:20036
Admin Phone:+1.2027361725
Admin FAX:+1.2027853607
Admin Email:
Their website is currently not operating and the individual in charge, listed as Jack Nimitz, is being sought.
The Better Business Bureau lists the following information on the US Navy Veterans Association along with their disapproval of the organization as a legitimate charity:
Year, State Incorporated: 1927, Florida
Affiliates: US Navy Veterans Association Support Group and 41 chapters
Stated Purpose: “to support educational communication for policies and public awareness with the goal of enhancing the cause of liberty, U.S. naval power, the American veteran, and national defense vulnerable to none, and to assist disabled and needy war veterans and members of the Armed Forces, their families, and the dependents of deceased veterans.”$4,246,388 collected
Programs
USNVA provides assistance to war veterans and members of the United States Armed Forces from all service branches, their dependents, and survivors. The charity reports that this assistance includes food, shelter, clothing, care packages, medical, dental and hospital fees, and direct cash. Entertainment is offered to hospitalized veterans and active members of the military, including portable televisions, newspapers, and radios. Counseling and casework are provided to survivors of veterans, and the organization places small American flags or wreaths on veterans’ gravesites. Outreach and education are provided by newsletters, fliers, and the organization’s website, www.navyvets.org. USNVA members support legislative action associated with the Armed Forces and the War on Terror, such as enhancing military and veterans’ benefits, expanding and enhancing domestic security, and increasing defense spending for all branches of the Armed Forces. Some ($167,356 or 5%) of USNVA’s program activities are carried out in conjunction with fund raising appeals.
Millions collected by the charity for hospitalized veterans is missing, there is as yet no adequate accounting of how much has been laundered into Republican organizations. Nimitz is being sought and has “disappeared.” This isn’t the first problem of its kind in Ohio. The “Coingate” scandal after the 2004 election sent prominent state Republican Thomas Noe to prison for 22 years. Money stolen from state funds intended for compensating injured workers was paid into dozens of GOP candidates with some funding, we are told, paid to finance computer programer Mike Cullen, accused of rigging the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections.
Cullen died in a mysterious plane crash after reporting being threatened by Bush National Security Advisor Karl Rove. Cullen was scheduled to testify on vote rigging and had requested witness protection.
CI
Short URL: http://www.veteranstoday.com/?p=54532
Posted by Gordon Duff on Oct 17 2010, With 0 Reads, Filed under Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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One was caught: Authorities make arrest in Navy Veterans case
October 17, 2010 – Authorities in Ohio have filed additional charges against the mysterious man behind the U.S. Navy Veterans Association, alleging that he pocketed more than $1 million in contributions meant for members of the armed forces.
And for the first time, an arrest in the case was made Friday. But it did not involve the man who calls himself Bobby Thompson, the head of the veterans nonprofit who has been on the run since Aug. 5, when he was charged with stealing the identity he goes by.
Unable to find Thompson, authorities turned to a woman close to him.
Blanca Contreras of Tampa, Fla., described as an associate of Thompson who worked for the U.S. Navy Vets, was arrested about 9 a.m. at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, according to Ted Hart, a spokesman for the Ohio attorney general’s office. {read rest} http://hamptonroads.com/2010/10/authorities-make-arrest-navy-veterans-case
She was picked up here in Charlotte Airport this morning, now maybe they’ll be able to catch the snake who was runnin this slush fund!!
Very interesting article Mr Duff.We all know that this is but the tip of the ice berg in exposing corruption under the guise of using our good veteran’s names to pave the way into the hearts and pocketbooks of naive individuals.
Since I live in a navy town I am going to see if I can find any connections and expose them using your fine editorial as a jumping off point for an investigation.
So, why would ANY vets group vote for a republican even in light of this fraud? Who doesnt know its the republicans trying to turn the VA into another Wall street Ponzi scheme! Dont we all know they want ALL our money…social security, medicare, medicaid and vets benefits. republicans plan to assure every veteran of one thing. If you serve and make it back alive, YOU will have to PROVE you didnt have the pre-existing condition before you went off to war. To kill, to be wounded and to die. As vets everyone must attend meetings and if you find a veterans group pushing any republican YOU must challenge them with this information. How many other groups are accepting donations and giving donations to the republicans on behalf of ALL vets?
I haven’t read this article in detail, but I have traveled to Israel and the middle east extensively; and I have seen an entirely different view and perspective of the Israeli people and the Palestinians. I agree with some of what you have written, but I feel as if your background infects your soul with too much bias. The reason we suffer is because we desire.
[...] From Veterans Today: Gordon Duff: GOP Campaigns Financed by Money Stolen From Veteran Charity [...]
The amount of fraud, embezzlement and “administrative costs” from a plethora of veterans organizations has been going on since the days of the original American Legion. Case in point, the VN POW/MIA “movement”. Lots of private operators going to SE Asia with thousands of dollars for investigating crash sites, former POW camps etc and NO tangible results. It got so bad by the early 1980′s that I stopped
any and all correspondence and wrote a white paper to the only group I trusted.
A few years later, McCain & Kerry go to Hanoi and establish a diplomatic link.
Where is the GAO, the IRS and FBI task force to track these charlatans down ?
There are some retired agents out there that would LOVE to get back in the saddle and follow the digital money trail on this one. Some might do it on a voluntary basis.
I only wish I had the ability to do at least some of the taking.Being just an average Joe I am hampered by the quality of the information to which I can have any access at all.That doesn’t stop me from trying.In case,the day before yesterday I was attempting to read all of the links provided on a great VT editorial and I was led to some funky conspiracies that were so evident of their fraud.We as researchers have to be able to discern the differences and ask the tough questions so as to be able to arrive at a more clear position.
I am not one to totally accept the status quo as being the whole truth and nothing but the truth.My eyes are gradually being opened even though not totally wide like an owl’s at midnight with no moon.But anybody who provides me with a bibliographic account for their beliefs and statements certainly gets the respect of a bit of research.Keep up the good responses and works.
Which editorial Larry?
Have a complete investegation in all States by federal judges. find these people and try them. then have all of them in line for a FIRING SQUAD. This includes all the REPUBLICANS that were involved.WHY DOES AMERICA NEED GOVERNMENT, when all elected officials are CORRUPT TO THE MAX. THEIR IS no democracy. there never was in 234 years.what you have is a IMPEARILIST GOVERNMENT. AND A DICTATORSHIP ROLLED INTO ONE.
If you remember right, Obama wanted service connected veterans to pay for their own medications. The Democrats are not lily white when it comes to accepting donations from the various groups.
its already happening. I have friend who is Vietnam era Vet who pays for all his own meds, and every trip to the VA cost him out of pocket. He is not comp-ed for anything, and i have yet to understand that??? And look at the Gulf War Vets, they get scewed all the way around. They are *for the most part, not even recocnized for any illness and left to fend for themselves. Sad.
Why haven’t they investigated ACORN for doing the same thing for the Dem’s?
Matt,
Oddly, the ‘Acorn’ issue was found to be fabricated by a man named Andrew Breitbart, and debunked. None of it actually happened…his reporting was entirely lies.
However, Breitbart may well have been doing this to aid the people we are talking about.
Thus…you are correct…Acorn should be investigated …and those responsible should be jailed.
All will be Republicans.
g
Although maybe not set up as a political fund raising FRONT, here is another case in point out of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Veteran Magazine about the:
‘FALLEN HEROES FOUNDATION’ SCAM
The outpouring of support for troops who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq has been gratifying, a marked contrast to the lack of support for veterans of the Vietnam War when we came home. But along with good has come the bad: scams by parasites who feed off popular sympathies [PATRIOTISM] to enrich themselves. The way most of these scams work is simple.
1. First, come up with a patriotic sounding name.
2. Try to use the word “hero” somewhere in the title.
3. Set up a web site and a bank account.
4. Announce a project, such as collecting funds to purchase gift packs for troops recuperating in military or VA hospitals.
5. Get some publicity [from gullible mainstream media also hung up on the patriotism angle].
6. And rake in the donations.
[These Veteran, Military Troop, and Military Families SCAMS are all over the place].
One of the most recent scams occurred in Texas, where the Attorney General of that state is looking into documentation behind the “United States Fallen Heroes Fund.” This operation, run out of the home of one Walter Coleman, Jr. (or Evan Coleman, which he also calls himself), according to a report by Byron Harris of WFAA-TV in Kennedale, seeks to raise $50 million to honor veterans who have died since September 11, 2001.
Harris reported that the memorial project was introduced to the public during a “slick presentation” at a news conference. An animation showed fifteen acres of land in Kennedale that would be the site of a memorial. A website honoring veterans was set up, and TV spots were aired in which families of veterans were used [Veterans Today highlights the word USED] to solicit money.
“This memorial will also include all military personnel that have died post-9/11 and have died as a result of combat and non-combat injuries and trauma,” Coleman said at the news conference.
When WFAA investigated, Coleman canceled two appointments with a reporter to discuss his organization [First red flag that he was running a SCAM].
“When he finally did show up, he would not let us record an interview,” Harris said. “I’ll be interviewed, but not on camera,” Coleman said. Coleman did not want to be interviewed about his application to the IRS for tax-exempt status. The IRS, Harris reported, has no record of the U.S. Fallen Heroes Foundation.
Another Red Flag is that some of these con-men and women lie about their military service – Stolen Valor!
Another question surrounds Coleman’s military record.
“My impression is that he would have served in Vietnam, because he’s made comments in that regard,” Kennedale City Manager Bob Hart said.
When pressed, Coleman told Harris that he was never in the military. Harris learned that “Walter Raleigh Evan Coleman, Jr.,” runs the Fallen Heroes Foundation from his home, which until recently was also the home of the Texas/Louisiana Fallen Heroes Foundation.
Harris also discovered that although Coleman gave documents to the city of Kennedale that included a non-existent employer identification number, Coleman passed it off as an innocent error.
Meanwhile, the Texas Attorney General has asked the Fallen Heroes Foundation for all of its records, and the man who says he is Walter Raleigh Evan Coleman, Jr., says he has only collected $1,000 for his $50 million project. “But he’s the only one who knows the real total,” Harris noted.
Veterans Today Editorial Comment: Partisan politics aside it is way past time for Attorney Generals in all the states crack down on fraudulent non-profits especially if they are EXPLOITING patriotism, Veterans, Military Families, and our troops. What these criminals are doing is the worse form of Stolen Valor.
VVA goes onto say, “Just as we’ve been appalled by the accounts of imposers claiming to have been war heroes, so too are we disturbed by those who seek to profit off the pain of others.”
GREAT ADVICE FROM VVA ON HOW TO AVOID FRAUDULENT PATRIOTIC NON-PROFITS
1. Before you donate any money to any organization claiming to be helping veterans or assisting the wounded from Afghanistan and Iraq, ask how long they’ve been doing what they say they’ve been doing.
2. Ask them if they are recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt organization.
3. Ask them what percentage of the money they raise actually goes to the troops or the veterans, and how much goes to overhead or advertising or to their own salaries.
In fact, a group of musicians want to donate money to a reputable Veteran or Troop related cause or effort recently contacted Veterans Today for advice on how to find the best non-profits, who are good at what they do. Meaning the bulk of funds raised goes to promoting their mission NOT promoting their organization, or their own personal greed.
We gave them the same advice VVA noted above combined with a cautionary note to check out Charity Watchdog organizations like Charity Navigator that rates patriotic non-profits on efficiency of money collected going to the intended purpose of the non-profits.
Lastly, the IRS will shortly be cracking down on such groups who have failed to provide the IRS with documented evidence of their non-profit status. Those who ignore the IRS will be put on a list of organizations for donors to black ball.
We at Veterans Today intend publishing that list being prepared by the IRS.
Robert L. Hanafin
Major, U.S. Air Force-Ret
Veterans Issues Editor
Veterans Today News Network
Look around and see who is stealing the VA Health Care Cash. Pork Barrel is the criminal here. The House Senate in 2006 shut down Full Mandatory Funding of the VA. The only Full Mandatory Funding in the VA budget is Mortuary benefits. Full Mandatory Funding of the VA would help secure our budget and not get sucked up by pork barrel spending. The Coingate scandal is in the Hall of Shame just like the House Senates Vote to not allow Full Mandatory Funding for the VA. Disabled Veterans are the target once again?